This study investigates how an institutional resource regime translates into a local regulatory arrangement and policy outcomes that enhance the sustainability of natural resource use. Empirically, it focuses on land use in Switzerland and examines the conditions under which land use policy objectives are achieved. A comparative analysis of twelve land use cases dealing with different policy problems in peri-urban and urban contexts shows how the policy expertise of public authorities, as well as acquired use rights held by private landowners, can influence local regulatory arrangement and policy outcomes. The general conclusion is that consideration of actors' implementation games is highly relevant in explaining the institutional resource regime's effects on the sustainability of natural resource uses.